Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 196541966 31 The Goocl Samaritan But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him Luke 10:33. Two years ago, Kitty Genovese was assaulted in the lobby of her New York City apartment while thirty-eight witnesses ignored her cries for help. One of the greatest problems facing our society today is the gradual dis- appearance of the Good Samaritan aspect of the character of man, leading to such events as the Kitty Genovese incident. And yet, when the rare case of a person intervening when he thinks another is in danger occurs the Good Sama- ritan may be sued by the intended victim. For instance, if a doctor stops to help an accident victim, and, in spite of his help, the victim dies, the doctor who tried to help the victim to the best of his ability, may be sued by the relatives for negligence or jailed for assault. Sociologists put forth many reasons for the gradual disappearance of the Good Samaritian . Some blame the moral numbing that life in a big city breeds: this loss of the sense of community coupled with the feeling of most citizens that crime or accidents should be left to the authorities leads to the problem of the Good Samaritian . Others suggest that a person, because most of mankind is basically humanitarian, wants to help another person in trouble, but the threat of entanglement in the law, that is, court proceedings, etc. stop him. In other words, people do not want to get involved . In any case, something must obv- iously be done to the law to protect the rights of the Good Samaritan and to compensate him for injuries he may suffer. The law does, however, state that in certain cases, such as husband and wife, one person must help the other. Also, some countries such as ltaly and France, provide for fines and jail sentences in case a person fails to give help to another obviously in need of it. Recently, the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed the convictions of two Good Samaritans saying that: Not only is it just that one should not be convicted of a crime if he self- lessly attempts to protect the victim of an apparently unjustified assault, but how else can we encourage by-standers to go to the aid of another who is being subjected to an assault? Clearly, changes in the law are coming: and come they must, unless we are prepared to witness the downfall of our societty. D. Roden The Lonely World of Oliver Kerriger He was just another of the babies born in the United States and his name was Oliver Kerriger. Blond and blue eyed he seemed like a very ordinary boy until the age of four. Then his parents started noticing things that were very peculiar for a boy of four. He was reading the newspaper every day and could work out mathematical problems in his head. At five, he built an intricate bridge with his brother's building set and often meditated quietly in his room. He was doing very well in school yet he never did any homework. His parents took him to a psychiatrist who stated plainly that the boy had an l.Q. of two hundred and fifty. No longer was Oliver Kerriger one of the ordinary four and one half million children born every year in the United States, but a genius who might reveal every secret on earth. He became famous throughout the world and graduated from university at the age of ten. A year later he read Einstein's theories and filled in the missing links.

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30 SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE ture ofthe French-Canadians and will accept them as having a common interest in the future of the Canadian nation. Thus by 1980, French-Canadians will be somewhat more harsh in their attitude towards their English counterparts, while English Canadians will be more willing to accept French Canada into their society. By 1980, every Canadian will be better off than today. The Government is assuming more responsibility for the lot of the fifty percent of all Canadians that are classified, according to a recent Royal Commission, as impoverished . The War on Poverty and the Department of Manpower are some of the measures now being initiated to bring the prosperity of the nation to every Canadian. To these can be added the welfare programs, such as Medicare, that have already been mentioned. However, the best way to assist people in need is not through charity but through education. Given a chance to acquire some form of education, any man will improve his lot. Free education from Grade 1 to college, for every Canadian, is a need that will be recognized and met by 1980. Free educa- tion will help the poor to help themselves, and thus will have raised Canada's standard of living substantially by 1980. Canada is dominated economically by the United States. American corpora- tions with large working capital can afford to risk money in development that Canadian investors avoid. Consequently most maior economic ventures, such as the exploitation of newly discovered resources of the opening up of new fields of production, are financed by American companies. This influx of American capital has greatly stimulated the Canadian economy, but it has also deprived Cana- dian business of its independence. Up until now, this fact has hurt the pride of some Canadians, but has not by any means afflicted them materially. Now, because of the new guidelines for foreign investment imposed by the American Government, the Canadian economy stands to suffer a great deal. In effect, decisions made by the American Government will be imposed on Canadian citizens. This is a very serious state of affairs, and the Canadian Government must take steps to remedy it. The only way to do this is to get the American Government to exclude Canada from its directives to business, as it has in the past. For the future, we must try to regain to some degree the control of our economy and make it free from the decisions of the United States. The effect that Canada's trend towards socialism will have on the Canadian economy between now and 1980 will be slight. I do not expect to see any wholesale nationalization of major industries, but rather I expect to see the government assume control of industries that are not func- tioning efficiently. However, the Government is considering a program to regroup Canadian industries to make them able to compete on foreign markets. I believe that by 1980 this program will be in effect, and that it will greatly stimulate the Canadian economy. Generally, the Canadian economy will have made great advances by 1980. New improved production techniques will boost manufactur- ing output to a record high. Canada's natural resources will play an important part in her economy, providing the raw materials for an accelerated manufactur- ing boom. ln 1980 Canada will be in the forefront of the modern industrial na- tions ofthe world. l think that Canadians can look forward to the next fifteen years as years of progress, bringing prosperity and happiness to a greater number of Cana- dians that ever before. The Canada of 1980 will have a strong government that truly represents the people. Its program will combine the liberties of free enter- prise with the welfare benefits of socialism. The Canadian people will be en- joying the prosperity of an economic boom that will continue to increase geome- trically. I see Canada in 1980 as a modern nation, a bounteous nation a mari usque ad mare -from sea unto sea . Henry Joseph, Form Vll fGrade XID

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32 SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE At thirteen, he went to Canada to try and solve the problem of food and warmth up in the north and did so with amazing new machines. Scientists from all over the world came and asked questions and stared with wonder and awe as he answered them. When he was fifteen, he was asked to join the top scient- ists at work and developed new ideas, machines and even a computer with Cl brain equal to man's. Most of the public rejected him, saying they were happy with the life they led and that they did not want others improving it. Oliver Kerriger at twenty was a quiet, amiable man who often had to be kicked, before someone said anything to him. Most of the time he was in a world of his own and no one dared interrupt. Meanwhile, civilization was advancing rapidly and many people were now colonizing Mars. Oliver, impressed with the vastness of space, was trying to find a new and better way to travel through space. After three years he discovered it and the billion dollar project began. Finally the spaceship was built and Oliver chose the name Alpha Centuri I for it. In a week it was going to be tested and everyone was anxious to see this. On the day of the lift-off, his mother noticed that he was not the same. He was acting unusually and would not talk. Oliver flew to the launching pad at Florida and set the spaceship to take off in five minutes. At two minutes to go, he raced to the spaceship, climbed inside and then the big white monster took off. That was the last the people saw of Oliver Kerriger, and many said that they were glad. Most people said that he went off to explore space. Others said he was tired of man and considered him foolish. But only a handful said that Oliver went because he wanted earth to progress by itself, with no one to slow down or speed up the advance of human beings. Norman Tobias My Furry Friend One day I decided to go for a walk in the woods. A minute later, I stopped to watch a hare. It ron from me as if I were a giant. I knew how it felt though, for the towering trees above me made me feel a bit small too. Later on, l came to a small clearing, and in the midst of it there was a tiny squirrel squirming with fright. It had fallen out of a tree. I picked it up, smoothed its fur, and it fell asleep right in my hands. Gently, ever so gently, l put it in my pocket and set off to find its mother. But after awhile I decided to keep it, for it had a broken leg, and it was so cute. A few weeks later it had completely recovered. Instead of a meek little squirrel, it was a scampering little Wildcat, and, to my surprise, it liked jelly- beans. So every week I shouted Tippy, Tippy , and then I would put the jelly- bean jar on the floor, and it would help itself. Soon I let it go. but every day it would come and sit on my lap and nibble an acorn. From the first day I met the squirrel it was my best friend. C. Stewa rt-Patterson, AI Terror in the Townships Two French Canadian boys had decided to take a holiday in New York, and had set out to hitch-hike there. So far, on their first day, they had been walking most of the time, and had reached the neighbourhood of the Eastern Townships. Eventually they had decided to attempt a short cut, and had left the road. Now, an hour later, it was almost ten o'clock. They were completely lost: it had started to rain, and they were cold.